Deleted Songs Analysis: The Madness of King Scar

This week’s song is called “The Madness of King Scar”, which is a deleted song from The Lion King. It takes place during Scar’s reign, and he becomes crazier as everyone complains about the Pride Lands getting worse. This all somehow leads to him trying to get Nala to be his queen, ad when she is banished, she leaves, which causes her to end up meeting with Simba. My overall opinion of the song is that it’s deliciously creepy. It works as somewhat of a reprise of “Be Prepared”, with a lot of the same instrumentation.

There is a lot of dialogue between Zazu and Scar, who is trying to tell Scar to do something about the deteriorating pridelands, and that he will never receive honor, respect, or a family that a king would have. This lights Scar’s mind up, and Nala unfortunately walks in at the time, causing him to start the song with, “The world is full of problems… even for a king! It’s tough at the top. I deserve a… companion; a mate, who will start. My cylinders firing with fervor; and you, my sweet thing, fit the part…” Nala barely has lines throughout the entire song, as all she says is “Excuse me?” and “You can’t be serious”.

Scar continues his ramblings through song, “Be prepared for a stunning proposal, that power and beauty should bond. Which cannot but fail to, ensure cries of hail to, the chief and his consort. The sine qua non sort.” Nala does end up scratching his face from her, and then runs out of the cave, ending the song. This then leads to another deleted song, called the “Be Prepared reprise”.

What I like about the song is that it takes you back to the Pride Lands, after being stuck with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa in the green lands, and does explain why Nala did leave the Pride Lands. It gave her more focus, instead of Nala just being there in the final version of the film. I already mentioned how strong the instrumentation is, and the lyrics are pretty strong too. It works better though if you listen to this and the deleted reprise back to back.

Now why did this song get deleted, despite being a strong song? It is actually very easy to explain, and it’s because the song strongly inhibits rape, with the final line of the song being, “Ooh… Nala, Nala, Nala. You know, you really have no choice. One way or another, I always get what I want“. And it’s not like it was subtle whatsoever. You can use the argument that they worked it in fine with Hunchback, but they were more clever with it in my opinion. The song was added in the musical version of the film, so in a way (much like most of the deleted songs), the song was revived. In the final version of the film, Nala just claims that she left the Pride Lands to get food, and there is a bit of the scene in the final version, where Zazu is trapped in a skeleton, and has to deal with Scar. It is definitely one of my favourite deleted songs so far, and I recommend everyone to listen to it at least once.

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2 thoughts on “Deleted Songs Analysis: The Madness of King Scar”

Yeah, the part where Scar is trying to rape Nala definitely deserved to be cut from the movie as it was. Rework it and have a better lead-in to the “Be Prepared Reprise” and I would have welcomed it. But rapey Scar? *shivers* No, no, no. Too creepy for a kid’s movie. Like you said, It’s implied with Frollo in Hunchback, but much more clever in its approach.

As for other suggestions for deleted songs, take a look at “Humiliate the Boy” and “Why Me?” from Aladdin, both sung by Jafar. I think they are both okay, particularly the latter, but if you do decide to see them, keep in mind that the former was for a different version of the movie (unlimited wishes, for one thing). I’d just do them in the same post, but it’s your call.

Thanks. The rape part was very disturbing, and was way too creepy and disturbing. It probably would have been my favourite if it was rewritten and added in the film.

Those two are definitely in my drafts, so they will be done in the next few weeks. I might do them in the same post, but if I feel like dragging it out, I’ll separate them. Probably could have added this and the “Be Prepared reprise” in the same post, but eh.